With many of my dedications, I started just making a list of who I wanted to mention and plugged them into a post. This one, though, is rather particular.

You see, Steph was the first and is to date the only person who has ever run fourteen miles with me.

Quite honestly, I would not be where I am, would not have been where I’ve been, nor would I be the runner I am today had it not been for Steph. She was part of the group that got me across my first half marathon finish line, and beyond that was the one who said at the same time I did, “Hey, we could do a full.”

She’s also the one who learned with me just how much of a horrible idea running a full marathon on zero training is. Seriously awful, bad, no good idea. Don’t do it.

Our running lives have taken us in some vastly different directions (hers through another marathon, mine through a Tough Mudder), but there’s always been that common theme of being a runner.

After Tough Mudder when it was time for me to refocus on running in just running races, she welcomed me back into the fold. And in just a couple months (or, you know, seven-ish weeks from now) we’ll be back on the same course, shooting for a repeat yet improved performance during the GO! St Louis half marathon, our very first race we ever ran together.

I’m sure I won’t be the only one there who will be excited for the mile nine beers.

Steph, mile fourteen is for you. See you soon.